An Unholy Alliance : Facade
by Avirra
Summary: The ISS Enterprise is given what would have been a routine mission to check up on a husband and wife team of archeologists , however the wife is the woman McCoy had intended to marry in years past. A jealous Captain is always a danger, but maybe not the only one to be encountered. Warning : Canon deaths (the same ones also died in the TOS version)
1. Not Quite a Routine Mission

**Stardate 2261.06**

Alone in his ready room, Kirk scowled at the screen. He had been expecting the Enterprise to be released to continue their primary mission of exploration, but no. A routine physical check on a pair of archeologists. Of course, the physical check was just a ruse really. The primary purpose of the visit was to make sure that things of value weren't being hidden from the Imperial Treasury. Still, of all the things to waste the time of his -

The rant cut off as the names of the two people they were going to check on - Professor Robert Crater and his wife, Nancy. Those names sounded familiar and he was associating them with McCoy. Leaving the orders on the screen, Kirk pulled out his personal PADD. He kept notes and records on everyone and he had begun his file on McCoy that fateful day on the shuttle from Iowa.

It took some searching, but the information had come from one of the rare times that McCoy reached the right stage of drunk to become chatty. Nancy Crater, formerly Nancy Ashton - now that he was looking at his notes, he could recall the conversation from back in their Academy days.

**2256**

It had been a particularly trying week and the two of them were in their favorite bar - the one McCoy had declared in their first week to have character. By now, the staff knew them, knew what they drank, knew what they preferred to eat and best of all, knew they didn't like to be bothered unduly. If their server kept food on the table and drinks in their glasses, the tips left behind were excellent enough that everyone in the establishment made an effort to keep them happy.

For once, it was McCoy and not Kirk whose glass was needing attending most often. After his third bourbon, McCoy began to grumble about wishing he still had access to some of his grandfather's papers - and yes, actual papers. They were among the many things that his ex-wife kept that she had no desire or use for, but had taken in the divorce simply so that he couldn't have them.

Contemplating the alcohol in his own glass, Kirk finally asked the question that he'd been wondering about.

"You know, Bones, whenever you say anything about your ex, it's always a complaint about something she took or kept or destroyed. You've never said anything about missing her or being jealous over her lovers. I know you've possibly killed a few of them, but that seemed more a case of annoying her than jealousy."

Snorting, Bones took a long draw from bourbon number four.

"Why would I be jealous, Jim? I never loved the woman. My father arranged it, remember? I was dumb enough to agree to go along and I admit she had an impressive body, but that was just hormones talking."

Intrigued by that, Kirk pushed a bit.

"Are you sure it was lust and not love?"

"Positive. I'd been in love. Whole other ballgame, Jim."

His possessive streak flared up, but Kirk had remained calm. McCoy had used the past tense after all.

"Who was she? Or was it a he?"

Giving Kirk an exasperated look, McCoy seemed to debate for a moment before deciding to tell.

"Her name was Nancy Ashton. She was a California gal that ended up as one of my neighbors back when we were both about ten years old. At first, we hung out together because there really weren't many kids our age in the neighborhood. We got older, things got more serious to the point where I was ready to propose to her when it was time for us to head to college."

Taking the rest of the fourth drink down, McCoy remained silent until the empty glass was removed and replaced with a full one.

"Nancy seemed to know my intentions and made me promise not to ask anything serious until we were at least settled in school. She was something, Jim. Brain, body, face - the whole package."

"So what happened?"

"Guy named Professor Crater happened. I didn't like him from day one, but maybe that's just my memory doing that since I know now what he'd end up doing. He was older, rich and about to head out into the black on a series of archeological digs. Before I knew what was happening, Nancy had dropped out of school, married him and was gone. Left me a letter talking about opportunities and seeing sights no-one else had seen. Never said a word about loving him, so I don't think she did. Maybe that was wishful thinking on my part."

Kirk pretended to be taking his time with chewing his sandwich, but he was thinking over the woman's abrupt departure.

"That wasn't too long before you got married yourself, was it?"

"No, it wasn't. Guess that was one reason I didn't fight my father much over the arranged marriage with the Wicked Witch. Marrying for love was out, so why not marry for position? Not that I gave a damn about social position, but my father did. Not that it worked out, of course."

**Stardate 2261.06**

A call for him to come to the Bridge brought Kirk out of his thoughts. As he sent the coordinates to the helm before closing the orders, Kirk mused that the timing of Nancy's sudden departure coming shortly before the arranged marriage had always seemed a bit too convenient. Little doubt the senior Doctor McCoy had a hand in the sorry mess, but considering his McCoy had already seen his father into the grave, no real need to dwell on that.

Stepping onto the Bridge and heading for the Captain's chair was a sensation Kirk didn't believe he would ever grow tired of.

"Mister Chekov, have you laid in a course for the coordinates I sent you?"

"Aye, Captain. Course is calculated and awaiting your orders, sir."

"In that case, Mister Sulu, take us out. Warp five. I don't plan on us spending our entire time out playing nanny."

"Aye, sir - warp factor five."

Settling back in his chair to attend to the PADDs being held by one of the yeomen, Kirk decided the trip wouldn't be a total waste. He'd always wanted a look at this Nancy from McCoy's past. He briefly debated informing McCoy over the intercom, but decided he really wanted to see the reaction to Nancy's name.

With a slight smile, Kirk decided he would be calling McCoy to his quarters after the end of their shifts. It was always fun when he got the chance to catch his CMO off-guard.


	2. Testing Reactions

**Stardate 2261.061**

Heading into his office, McCoy felt worn down to the very bones his nickname came from. Either Scotty was in a really bad mood or his engineers were very adept at pushing the wrong buttons their Chief Engineer. Twenty-four engineers in five hours with everything from concussions to broken fingers to gouged eyes. And of course he and his nurses had to patch them all so that they could return to duty. Hell, if they didn't, the Enterprise would probably be down to one engineer - Scotty himself.

All he wanted was a shower, something edible, something alcoholic and his bed - in no particular order. What he got was a notice flashing on his monitor screen that said the Captain expected him at his quarters five minutes after the end of his shift. Groaning, McCoy debated - not for the first time - just how attached he really was to his Captain.

Concluding that he did still like the current maniac in charge, McCoy decided that if Kirk wanted him that soon after shift, he was going to get him exactly as he was. But of course, Kirk being who he was, McCoy's arrival didn't go the way the doctor had envisioned.

To start, as soon as the door to the Captain's quarters opened, McCoy found himself being herded into the bathroom area, unceremoniously stripped and nudged into one of the most coveted luxuries on the ship - the hot water shower. Good as it felt, McCoy couldn't help feeling a bit disgruntled about losing the majority of his bad mood.

When he finally stepped out and dried off, he found only a robe waiting for him to put on. Now highly suspicious, he was tying the belt as he stepped back into the main area and found both food and drinks waiting at the table along with Kirk. If he hadn't been suspicious before, he would have been now.

"Not that I'm inclined to look this gift horse in the mouth, Jim, but what gives?"

Kirk gestured to the seat across from him.

"Chapel gave me a heads up about the kind of day you were having. Not that I couldn't have guessed it would have been bad after I heard about the loss of Scotty's still."

Sinking into the offered chair, McCoy moaned.

"No wonder we were swamped. My only surprise is that I'm not having to perform an autopsy."

Pouring a generous amount of bourbon into the waiting glass, Kirk chuckled.

"You mean yet. Scotty's still trying to find out who was responsible."

McCoy accepted the drink, automatically reaching for his scanner and checking the contents before taking the first sip.

"He needs to take a closer look at his higher ranking folks. If a lower ranking had done it, the others would have ratted them out to get Scotty back in a better mood."

Kirk toasted with his own glass.

"An excellent point. If Scotty doesn't find his answers by tomorrow, I'll suggest that to him. Eat, Bones. You're sleeping here tonight."

Having neither the energy or the desire to argue, McCoy pulled his plate closer.

"So long as you're alright that sleeping with me tonight will consist of nothing but actual sleeping, Jim."

"You don't sleep well when you're exhausted without someone at you back any way. Besides, I had more than one reason for bringing you here. Our new orders concern you."

"Mind if I eat while I listen?"

Pulling up his PADD, Kirk snorted.

"I already told you to eat, didn't I? Go right ahead. Mission isn't a big deal. One of those annoying bits of Imperial business. Checking to make sure scientists and other parties aren't lining their pockets at the Empire's expense. But since phrasing it that way is frowned on, the official reason for our visit is so that you can do a health analysis on them."

Swallowing, McCoy reached for his glass.

"How many folks are we talking about?"

"Only two on this planet. Robert and Nancy Crater."

While Kirk no longer had to wonder how McCoy would react to the name, he was now having to wonder if he was going to have to explain to the nurses of Sickbay why they were having to resuscitate their Chief Medical Officer. He was spared having to face their wrath when McCoy finally stopped choking and managed to take a breath again.

"I'm making a wild guess that you remember her, Bones."

The hazel eyes were still watering, but that didn't prevent McCoy from gifting Kirk with a dirty look.

"Damn, you did get me maudlin drunk enough to talk about Nancy once, didn't you?"

"Yep. So, you going to be able to work through this? From that reaction, I'm guessing you still have feelings for her."

Rolling his eyes, McCoy scoffed at that assumption.

"Geeze, Jim, it's been over ten years since I've even laid eyes on that woman. That water's so far under the bridge that it hit the ocean years ago. You caught me off-guard is all. I most certainly wasn't expecting either of their names to come up in casual conversation."

As if to prove how little this side trip meant to him, McCoy went back to eating and silence reigned. For all of two minutes.

"So . . . when will we get there?"

"We'll be there in a couple of days. Already getting anxious?"

Kirk noted the second McCoy's wariness kicked in. The very fact that he was wary made a good indicator, but McCoy continued to downplay it verbally even as his body language contradicted him.

"Don't be silly, Jim. I simply need to know so that I can have everything ready to go."

The only thing that kept Kirk from probing deeper was the enormous yawn that suddenly erupted. Kirk rose, obviously expecting McCoy to follow suit.

"Come on, Bones. Bed time. You can eat more after a nap."

"Once I hit the rack, it's not going to be for a nap."

"Then you can eat more when you regain consciousness. This way."

"I think I know the way there by now, Jim."

The robe was shed en route, but even so, by the time McCoy was beginning to settle down, Kirk had already rid himself of his own uniform and ordered the lights down.

"Scoot over, Bones. Sleep."

That was one order McCoy hadn't the slightest problem with following.


	3. Briefing

**Stardate 2261.066**

When they were a day away from reaching their destination, Kirk called McCoy and Spock into his briefing room.

"Well, Spock? What can you tell us about M-113?"

"Very little unfortunately, Captain. The planet has an atmosphere breathable by human standards. It is arid and the temperatures would be considered more typical for Vulcan than Earth. The civilization that once lived there has been extinct for over two thousand years and little is known of it save for the fact that they had developed interplanetary travel. It was actually the signs that the civilization left behind on the other worlds of their system that were the first indication that there had ever even been life on M-113."

Pausing, Spock consulted his PADD before continuing.

"It is theorized that the inhabitants developed a doomsday weapon that wiped out all higher life forms. The archeology team assigned to M-113 had been sending a steady stream of recovered objects until 2259, when their output dropped dramatically. One year of reduced output had not drawn a great deal of attention, but the fact that it has been two years now has led to concerns that they have discovered something of worth that they have sold or plan to sell on the black market."

That made the mission feel a bit more palatable to Kirk. After all, if the Enterprise stopped a black market or smuggling operation, the ship was credited with half of the profits from the goods recovered. In the case of antiquities, that amount could be substantial. With that in mind, Kirk turned to McCoy.

"Since you've met Professor Crater, fill us in on him and his personality."

A brow lift from Spock was the only indication that he had been unaware of any ties between McCoy and Crater, but instead of commenting, Spock stepped forward and took a seat.

"More like lack of personality, but I'll do what I can. Professor Crater is a little older than Pike - mid to late fifties. He sported a moustache and a goatee last time I saw him ten years ago and he was already starting to grey, so I expect his hair is mostly grey by now. He's known as a recluse. Before . . . before he married, he went to the majority of digs solo. He has been heard to loudly deride politicians of all ilks and I know for a fact that only his parents' position is all that kept him out of prison when he was too public with his views regarding Imperial regulations are archeological finds. He's anti-social, has a caustic sense of humor - even by my standards - and a severe dislike of the military."

Giving a shrug and reclining back in his chair, McCoy shook his head.

"In other words, Jim? Don't expect red carpet treatment or even basic politeness. If he is doing something behind the Empire's back, I wouldn't even be surprised at him resorting to violence. Of course, granted my opinion of the man is colored by my own dealings with him."

"So noted. I'd rather be prepared for the worst and be pleasantly surprised."

McCoy made an untranslatable noise before speaking again.

"If you're pleasantly surprised by anything Crater does, I'll need to be treated for shock."

It wasn't a shock that Spock zeroed in on the omission from McCoy's report.

"Are you also familiar with Mrs. Crater, Doctor?"

The debate on whether or not to tell Spock to mind his own business was a short one.

"As a matter of fact, I am, though technically, I haven't seen Nancy since her marriage. She and I met back around 2237. Brilliant woman in her own right. Was always somewhat surprised that the Imperial recruiters didn't go after her, to be honest."

Hands steepled together with the fingertips touching the bottom of his goatee, Spock noted both the usage of Mrs. Crater's first name and the fact that McCoy would only have been a child when they had met. Perhaps his assumption that the professor and his wife were similar in age needed revision.

"Am I to understand that Mrs. Crater is close to your own age, Doctor?"

"She's a little over half a year younger than I am, so yes. We're very close in age."

There was a short pause before McCoy continued.

"Jim already knows, so there's no reason you shouldn't as well. Nancy and I were in a relationship that I had thought would lead to marriage. Her running off and marrying Crater pretty well showed I was more serious about us than she was."

"I see. My apologies for dredging up those times, Doctor."

The sympathetic tone from Spock seemed odd until McCoy recalled that Spock had experienced a problem with a marriage as well. Hell of a thing for them to have in common.

"Nothing to apologize about Spock. It was a quite a while back and guess it worked out best for her. Her marriage has lasted a lot longer than mine did."

Disliking the thought of McCoy and Nancy Crater being together more as the time to beam down grew closer, Kirk threw out a suggestion.

"It's only a standard physical, Bones. Can't one of your nurses handle it?"

"I'm not mad enough at any of my people that I'd subject them to Robert Crater. I'll spend more time arguing with him than his exam will take. Who's got the displeasure of going down with me?"

Lifting his PADD, Kirk consulted it briefly.

"That will be Lieutenant Darnell from Security - and myself."

"Jim -"

"No arguments, Bones. Remember, the main purpose for this isn't their health exams, it's to find out why Professor Crater suddenly stopped showing progress on this dig. I want to get a look at their excavation myself. Spock, I know it won't be an easy task, but I want you to coordinate with Chekov on ground scans. See if you can find where he might have things hidden away. Any questions? No? Good. Mister Spock, you may return to your duties. Bones, come with me."

Since it seemed clear that Kirk was planning on keeping a very close eye on him until they left M-113 again, McCoy didn't argue. It wouldn't do any good and would only feed Kirk's jealousy toward Nancy. That was the last thing he wanted to do. Besides, if he were totally honest with himself, he was anxious about seeing her again. Time spent with Kirk would help take his mind off that.


	4. M-113

**Stardate 2261.067**

As the transporter effect faded leaving behind the three men on the surface of M-113, Kirk's first impression was standing in front of a blast furnace. For a moment, he considered calling Scotty to beam him back up, but no. No way was he going back to the ship and leaving McCoy alone with Nancy Crater.

Seeing the building that the Craters were using as their headquarters, Kirk started for it, eager to get out of the sunlight.

"Coming, Bones - or are you planning on gathering some flowers first?"

The sarcasm was practically dripping from Kirk's tone and Darnell wisely made sure not to get between his Captain and CMO. For his part, McCoy rolled his eyes.

"Drop it, will you? Hell, she probably won't even remember me."

All three men paused as they heard the sound of a woman's voice singing. When the singer came into sight, she stopped in her tracks, falling silent as she looked from man to man.

Kirk saw what he had been hoping to see - a slightly dowdy woman prematurely aged from the harsh climates she'd been living in going from one dig site to another. Darnell saw what he always hoped to see on any planet they came to - a well-endowed beauty near his own age. As for McCoy, he saw her looking the same as she had on their last date together, Lovely, vivacious Nancy.

Nancy smiled broadly and opened her arms to McCoy.

"Plum! I never expected to see you here. And on an Imperial Starship? I didn't think anything would ever pry your feet from Earth."

The nickname had Kirk giving McCoy a 'sure he doesn't remember you' look. McCoy did his best to ignore it as he stepped forward to greet her.

"Well, a lot of things changed after you left. Just look at you. This life must be agreeing with you. I swear you don't look like you've aged a day."

At the sound of Kirk clearing his throat behind him, McCoy remembered they weren't alone and turned to carry out the introductions.

"Nancy, this is Captain James T. Kirk of the ISS Enterprise and this is Lieutenant Darnell. Gentlemen, Mrs. Nancy Crater."

Smiling, Nancy offered her hand.

"Just Nancy will do. Welcome to our camp."

Before Kirk could say anything, Darnell started speaking, still staring at Mrs. Crater.

"Excuse me, but didn't you used to work on Risa at the Lagoon Lounge?"

His question seemed to amuse Nancy, but McCoy, after initial shock, was quickly becoming livid. As for Kirk, he was mystified. Was there something about this woman that he was missing? Regardless, he stepped in before McCoy damaged the crewman.

"Lieutenant Darnell - go and take a survey of the area. I want a full report on the formations around here as well as any animals."

Snapping out of his memories of Risa, Darnell immediately saluted Kirk and, once he saw the look on McCoy's face, was more than happy to put some distance between himself and the doctor.

There was an awkward silence during which Kirk could practically hear McCoy's blood boiling, so he broke the tension with a question.

"Plum? No offense, Mrs. - Nancy, but what kind of a nickname is Plum?"

Nancy's laugh was light and merry. Kirk was hating her more by the minute.

"That was a nickname I gave to Leonard the very first day we met. Blame it on the language barrier."

That didn't explain anything. Nancy didn't know what the expression forming on Kirk's face meant, but McCoy did and he hurried to explain.

"I believe I already mentioned to you that Nancy was a West Coast gal transplanted into Georgia. Well, the day her family moved in, my mama sent me over with a pie to welcome them to the neighborhood. Nancy and I got to talking and after she told me how hectic her week had been, I remarked that she must've been plumb worn out."

Tittering again, Nancy joined the explanation.

"I'd never heard that expression before and I thought he meant the fruit plum and not plumb as in completely. Suffice to say that at ten years old, I likely found that far funnier than most would have and I started calling him Plum."

A wry expression formed on McCoy's face.

"Neither the first nor the last time somebody has turned something I said into a nickname for me."

Unfortunately, that was exactly the wrong thing to say, illuminating as it did that Nancy had done something else with McCoy before he had. Knowing that erupting over that in front of McCoy would be bad, Kirk made an excuse to get out and take a walk to cool off.

"If you'll excuse me, I think I'll take a look around myself. Possibly see where your husband is at."

"Make yourself at home, Captain. It's near mealtime, but Bob gets so caught up in an excavation sometimes that he forgets to notice how long he's been there. I'll get started fixing us all something to eat."

As he exited, Kirk felt another qualm about leaving McCoy with Nancy. He knew McCoy well enough to know that he wasn't going to make a move on a married woman, but the longer he was around Nancy, the less Kirk trusted her.

* * *

After nearly half an hour in the merciless heat, Kirk was ready to head back inside when he heard a noise and turned to see a man with grey hair, moustache and goatee. The expression on his face was far from welcoming as he spotted Kirk and he began ranting before Kirk had even opened his mouth.

"I see the Empire has decided to invade us despite the reports I've sent back. Check off whatever boxes you need to and leave. We don't need you or want you here. Drop off the salt we need and our other supplies, then go show off your shiny uniforms to someone who'll be impressed by them."

Kirk maintained a stoic face, but internally decided that he owed McCoy an apology. If anything, he had underestimated how very irritating Professor Crater would be. His own voice was venomous as he replied.

"You seem to forget, Professor, that you are here only through the indulgence of the Empire and that the Empire expects return for its investment. We could, of course, leave today, but if we do, it will be with you and your wife onboard in our brig until we can reach a Starbase to turn you over to for wasting Imperial resources."

Crater immediately took a new tactic and Kirk was impressed at how fast the professor could do a one-eighty.

"Please, Captain - we aren't wasting anything of the Empire's. This isn't a mine or a well that we're working on, but unearthing the remains of a civilization long dead and buried. I was very fortunate the early on I was able to find pockets of intact artifacts, but my most recent finds have been little more than bits and pieces that may take years to properly analyze. I keep careful records of what I have found and where they came from, but I am continuing to search for more intact areas. I can show you my records and you can have your people go over everything, but please do not make us leave here. I feel that we are on the verge of another great find."

Kirk let the silence hang for a minute longer.

"With you lack of manners, how did you ever talk the Empire into funding this expedition to begin with."

"Nancy always scolded me that my distain of social graces would cause problems. Please forgive me for raking you across the coals when you are simply performing your duties. Have you come alone?"

"Hardly. Doctor McCoy is here to attend to the physicals required for you and your wife and naturally, we have a guard with us as well."

"Your guard will likely be quite bored. There's little here but plants and a few insects. And you said Doctor McCoy? That wouldn't be Leonard McCoy, by any chance?"

"It is. You know him?"

Professors Crater began to walk back toward their encampment.

"More know of him. Nancy mentioned him quite often. Has he already beamed down?"

Crater's constant use of past tense when talking about his wife struck Kirk as peculiar.

"Yes. I left him speaking with your wife. She was starting to prepare food."

"We shouldn't keep them waiting then."

The way Crater picked up his pace amused Kirk and made him feel a bit better. Seemed he wasn't the only one feeling a bit jealous.


	5. Unexplained Death

**Stardate 2261.069**

The meal that they all sat down to was way too heavily salted for Kirk's taste, but as McCoy was already giving him the stink eye, he refrained from commenting on it. At Nancy's insistence, the three Enterprise men remained on the surface overnight so that McCoy could take care of their physicals in the early morning cool.

As McCoy was still annoyed with him as well, Darnell went back out on patrol shortly after waking. Nancy's early morning cheerfulness was really getting on Kirk's nerves, so he was pleased when she started for the door.

"I need to gather a few things from our garden area to cook with. Leonard, why don't you start with Bob's exam while I start getting things ready?"

McCoy had no objections and directed Crater over to the table to begin the preliminary exam. Considering how adamant Crater was about them leaving, he was surprisingly cooperative and, in Kirk's opinion, oddly chatty and pleased that McCoy was there.

"It's good for Nancy to get a chance to interact with someone other than me. Even better that it's with an old friend. Me, I prefer being by myself. Nancy doesn't complain, but I can tell she misses being around other people."

Not even attempting to cover up a sigh, Kirk briefly debated how badly it would mess with McCoy's exam if Crater were stunned. He had already his phaser drawn and was lovingly caressing it when Crater's chatter was interrupted by a high pitched woman's scream. All three men ran out the door, Kirk following closely behind McCoy with Crater bringing up the rear.

On seeing them approach, Nancy immediately went to McCoy and began weeping on his shoulder. Yet another mark against her, but Kirk ignored that for the moment and went to examine where she had been. He cursed as he saw Darnell on the ground looking very dead.

"Bones! Get over here - we have a man down!"

It took a bit of doing for McCoy to extract himself from Nancy's grip, but Kirk couldn't fault the man for not trying. In fact, there was even a flicker of annoyance on McCoy's face that made Kirk feel somewhat better despite the circumstance.

Once free, McCoy wasted no time getting to Darnell's side and confirmed what Kirk already knew, but even as he spoke, McCoy was frowning and studying some odd markings on Darnell's face.

"Dead. I don't know what to make of these marks though. I've never seen anything like them."

Turning to Nancy who was still weeping but hadn't gone over to her husband, Kirk gestured toward Darnell.

"Did you see anything?"

Sniffling, Nancy ran a hand across her face then pointed to where she had dropped her basket.

"I was coming back from where we keep our hydroponics when I saw the young man picking up one of the native plants here. It's a Borgia - it looks and smells appealing, but it's poisonous. I started to call out to him, but it was too late. He'd already taken a bite."

As Kirk watched, Nancy's expression shifted from sad to a pout.

"Leonard, you look like you don't believe me."

Kirk noticed the smile coming onto McCoy's face was forced.

"Nothing like that, Nancy - I was thinking about Darnell. I already knew he wasn't terribly bright, but I thought he had better self-preservation instincts than that. You should go rest after a shock like this. Professor, why don't you and Nancy head back inside. I need to take care of our man and neither of you need to be around for that."

The fake smile only lasted until the Craters were out of sight. Kirk wanted until then to ask his next question.

"Hard to imagine a member of our crew putting something from the mess into their mouth, let alone an alien plant. So? Was he poisoned?"

"Not so much as a trace in his system by my scan. Besides, I know what the hell a Borgia plant does and this? This isn't it."

"You're sure?"

McCoy gave Kirk a scathing look.

"I'll let that pass, but who between the two of us is the poison expert? I know every member of the Borgia family - including this one. He would have had to have eaten the entire amount he's holding and even then, death would have been far from instantaneous - unless he had an allergic reaction to the damn thing, but there are no indications of anaphylaxis. With the timing, he should be alive and clutching his stomach in pain - maybe vomiting. But dead? No. Hell, from my initial readings, there's no reason for him to be dead."

"Doesn't explain why part of that plant is in his mouth. And what about those marks on his face, Bones?"

"If we weren't a very long way from any water, I would say they almost look like an octopus got hold of him. See how the rings are raised? He was attacked by something. What? No clue."

"So Mrs. Crater was lying,"

"I guess it's a possibility, but why would she?"

McCoy's response pushed Kirk back to annoyed and he snapped.

"Maybe you should try making use of the head between your shoulders more than the head between your legs, Doctor. I want to know why Darnell is dead."

McCoy's voice went formal and cold.

"You will know as soon as I do, Captain. I'll send the plant up to Mister Spock for a detailed analysis in case this is a mutation that just happens to look like a Borgia. My other advice? Get more Security down here. Until someone can prove me wrong, I'm classifying this death as a murder. Someone or something got close enough to touch a perfectly healthy, armed crewman. To me, that means either Darnell didn't want to move or he couldn't move. Plus, we heard Nancy when she yelled, so we would have heard him as well if he had cried out."

Mentally kicking himself, Kirk reminded himself that McCoy had a strong streak of loyalty - which had served him in very good stead on more than one occasion over the years and which he didn't want to tinker with. What Pike had once told him about doctors and their limits came to mind as well. Asking McCoy to turn on someone that had his loyalty from years back without solid proof seemed to be another limit he need to leave alone. He decided the best way to deal with it for now was to ignore it, so he let McCoy steer the conversation by responding only to what he had said last.

"Good point, Bones. He never fired his phaser either."

Slightly mollified, McCoy nodded and his tone was more normal as he continued.

"We've run into creatures that can trick the mind before. That might explain both Darnell not fighting and Nancy seeing things wrong. But, Jim, if that's the case? We're not only talking a creature that kills, we're talking about a creature smart enough to try and cover it's tracks."

Looking back at Darnell, Kirk frowned again.

"Don't take this the wrong way, Bones, but if it is intelligent, why wouldn't it have simply killed her as well?"

"Not knowing what we're dealing with, it's hard to say. If the thing was acting on protecting its territory, it could be that the Craters have been here so long that the creature doesn't view them as a threat. Hell, for all we know, the bright color of Darnell's red shirt might have been taken as a sign of aggression. I noticed both Craters seem to wear nothing but muted colors."

"I think I'll have Spock issue different uniforms to the Security coming down as a precaution until we know better what we're dealing with then. While I get that arranged, make Darnell your main priority, The exams of the Craters can wait a little longer."

"On it, Jim."

As Kirk moved to the side, he contacted the ship while watching McCoy begin his work, adding in the equipment that the doctor called out that he needed to the items he wanted the two Security men to beam down with. While waiting for confirmation, he looked back over their time on M-113 and recalled that all physical contact between Mrs. Crater and McCoy had all been initiated by her. Resolving to keep a far closer eye on her, he signed off after Spock relayed when to expect the men and the equipment.

McCoy was still kneeling by the body, but now he was frowning, so Kirk moved closer.

"Find something?"

"More like didn't find something - but I'd rather wait for the gear I requested to get here because I'm thinking my tricorder has developed a problem. This reading should be impossible."

"What's so impossible?"

"I'm not detecting salt in his body. Not a single trace of sodium chloride. I've never heard of such a thing."

"Could something like that have killed him?"

"Hell yes. Damn near instantly."

"How could something like that happen?"

"So far as I know, there isn't any way for that to happen. Which is why I want the gear down here to double check all my readings before I go any further."

Scowling at the situation, Kirk sank down to sit by McCoy, his phaser still out.

"Spock said the men and the gear will be beamed down in about five more minutes. Get your weapon out and keep it ready. Anything moves that isn't instantly identifiable? Fry it first and we'll worry about what it was later."

Casting a final look toward Darnell, Kirk grumbled.

"Damn him. Between him and the two Security we lost to the Vians, my numbers are going to look bad."

The amused snort from McCoy at that statement did lead Kirk to make the concession that Darnell was unlikely to have let himself be killed in order to make his Captain look bad. Didn't make it less annoying though.


	6. Scrutiny

**Stardate 2261.073**

Kirk and McCoy were still beside Darnell's body as the distinctive signature of a teleport in progress began nearby. Instead of the expected two bodies and equipment, tree bodies began forming - Spock along with crewmen Green and Sturgeon. As soon as they had solidified , all three immediately saluted the Captain.

"Mister Scott is on the Bridge. Captain. I thought perhaps I could be of more assistance here."

"You may be right, Mister Spock. Bring over the equipment. Green - Sturgeon. Start a perimeter patrol at once. The only other known individuals on this planet are Professor Crater and his wife. Go to the building and get a look at them. You see anything else moving that isn't us or the two of them, shoot to kill. Understand?"

The two men saluted Kirk again before drawing their weapons and leaving to follow their orders. Spock joined Kirk and McCoy, visually inspecting Darnell's body as he handed off the gear to McCoy. Kirk saw where Spock was looking and questioned him.

"Have you ever come across any markings like those, Spock?"

Kneeling down and taking hold of Darnell's chin to get a closer look, the Vulcan shook his head.

"I have seen similar markings, but nothing specifically like these. Were I viewing the body and did not know where it was found, I would have assumed a location in or near a large body of water."

While they were speaking, McCoy hadn't been idle. It had only taken seconds to get the medical equipment scanning and he was currently frowning at the readings.

"Seems my tricorder doesn't have a malfunction after all. No trace of poison in his system, but more importantly, no trace of salt either."

That had Spock turning toward McCoy, a brow rising.

"Total depletion of sodium chloride, Doctor? Fascinating. I do not believe I have ever heard of that before."

Sighing heavily, McCoy lowered the scanner.

"That makes two of us, Spock. One other thing, Jim? I've confirmed it. That piece of plant didn't go into Darnell's mouth until he was already dead. No saliva action was triggered and beyond that first bite? No chewing. My guess is that whoever or whatever killed him inserted it between his teeth after he died then forced the jaws shut to make it look like he'd bitten some off. That theory is backed by some deep bruising in the jaw area. Even if he was still alive, the bruise wouldn't become visible to us for another day or two."

"You are implying that the creature that caused these marks is highly intelligent."

"I know I am. But if it isn't, there's someone following around behind it and trying to cover up its existence. Right now, I suppose both are equally likely."

Spock opened his mouth to speak, but what he was going to say remained unknown as Professor Crater stormed onto the scene.

"This is harassment, Kirk! We have no need of you here, but instead of leaving, you bring down more men? You are interfering with our work and trespassing! I demand you leave - everything was fine before you came and everything will be fine again once you get the hell out of here!"

The command from Kirk to Spock was no more than a glance, but it was an order Spock was pleased to carry out. It took less than a minute for the Vulcan to force one of Crater's arms behind him and pressure the man down into a kneeling position in front of Kirk. The Captain took a step closer before backhanding Crater hard.

"You seem to be operating under a series of false impressions, Professor. Let me correct them for you. One - this planet does not belong to you. It and everything on it belongs to the Emperor. You are here only by his indulgence. Two - you have no authority over anyone enlisted in Imperial Starfleet. You don't have the power to order even my lowest ranking crewman around, so don't presume to think you can dictate anything to me. Three - I am the Emperor's eyes, ears and voice here. You will obey what I order you to do or you will find yourself arrested for treason. Something on this planet killed one of my men. I don't care if it was a parasite, a disease, native flora or fauna - we are not leaving until I verify the cause to my personal satisfaction."

Taking a step back, Kirk gave Spock a nod to release Crater.

"Now that you understand things, return to your wife and remain there until I release you."

Crater hadn't lost all of his bluster yet even as he stood there and rubbed feeling back into the arm Spock had been holding.

"But our digs . . ."

"The civilization that lived here was dead long before you were born, Professor. I hardly think a few days will make any difference."

In a huff, Crater stomped out of the area with the air of a three year child on the verge of a tantrum. Spock followed the professor's retreat visually until the man was out of sight, then turned to McCoy.

"I should offer my apologies, Doctor. I had thought your description of Professor Crater was unrealistically negative due to animosity between the two of you."

"No need. I would have made the same assumption myself, Spock. Professor Robert Crater has to be experienced."

Kirk's communicator chirped and he answered it.

"What is it, Scotty?"

"I wanted to verify where you want the supplies beamed to, Captain - and to verify that the amounts are right."

Scowling, Kirk's tone informed Scott that the Captain was in a piss poor mood.

"What supplies? What are you talking about?"

"The twenty five kilograms of salt we were told to send down, sir."

"I gave no such order, Scotty. Who did?"

"Why, Doctor McCoy, sir. He said it was by your order."

McCoy's head snapped around and he looked confused. Considering that Kirk hadn't left McCoy's side, so was he.

"When did you receive that call from McCoy?"

"About five minutes or so after Mister Spock and the others were beamed down."

Spock spoke up then.

"That would be impossible, Mister Scott. I have been within sight of Doctor McCoy the entire time and have not seen him even touch his communicator, let alone speak on it."

Sudden activity from McCoy drew both Kirk and Spock's attention as the doctor began searched Darnell's body.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid. I didn't even think to look for it. Jim - Darnell's communicator is missing."

Spock's brow rose again.

"Are you suggesting that whatever killed Darnell has not only stolen his communicator but managed to make use of it?"

Gesturing to the communicator still in Kirk's hand, McCoy snapped back.

"Do you have a better explanation? You said it yourself - I haven't talked to anyone on my communicator, but someone called the Enterprise. It wasn't me, you or Jim so unless one of the two that came down with you decided to play the world's dumbest practical joke, then whoever took Darnell's communicator must have done it."

Turning back to the Captain, Spock gave a slow nod.

"The Doctor is quite correct. Once all else is eliminated as being impossible, what remains must be the truth."

Even with circumstances being what they were, that brought a smile to Kirk's face.

"Why Spock - I never knew you were a fan of Sherlock Holmes."

Speaking into the communicator again, Kirk made his orders clear.

"No salt - not even an ounce - is to be beamed down to this planet."

"Understood, Captain. Scott out."

Closing his communicator with a firm snap, Kirk watched as McCoy activated one of the items that had come down with Spock - a lightweight blanket-like covering that when activated would preserve Darnell's body for a period of time - the period dependent on the life of its portable power supply. Once McCoy was finished, Kirk started toward the building.

"It's time we asked Professor Crater a few more detailed questions. My guts say he's hiding something from us. I want to know what it is and I want to know now."


	7. Exposure

**Stardate 2261.074**

Kirk led the way back to the building with Spock bringing up the rear and keeping an eye on McCoy who, in Spock's opinion, was acting peculiar. His attention was quickly drawn back to Kirk as the Captain began cursing.

"Gone. Both of them. When we find them, it will be time for Professor Crater to learn the difference between an order and a suggestion."

Pulling out his communicator, Kirk's voice was even and cold as he contacted his first man.

"Sturgeon - report."

There was no response, which did nothing to cool Kirk's temper.

"Spock, put a tracer on Sturgeon's communicator."

Pulling forward his tricorder, Spock rapidly input the settings and checked the readings.

"Sturgeon's communicator is 74.83 meters in that direction."

"Lead the way, Spock."

Even with being cautious in their approach, it didn't take the trio long to cover that distance. To Kirk's surprise, they found not only Sturgeon, but Professor Crater as well. Sturgeon's face was turned toward them and displayed the same circling markings that Darnell had. Crater was doing something to the body, but quite frankly, Kirk didn't care what he was doing. As Crater turned toward the approaching officers, Kirk didn't wait for any explanation. The stun dropped the man at Sturgeon's side.

Unnoticed by Kirk or Spock, McCoy had turned his head as if hearing something and moved off in a different direction. He was already out of sight when Kirk grabbed Crater by his shirt and began to question him.

* * *

If there had been anyone near McCoy to ask him what he was doing, he wouldn't have had a sensible answer for them other than to say that he had felt drawn suddenly as if hearing a shout. What he really didn't expect was to come around a rock formation and see Nancy with her hands pressed against Green's face which was contorted in agony.

His immediate response was to grab Nancy to pull her away from Green, but Nancy didn't even bother to look to see who was trying to interfere. Taking one hand away from Green's face, she struck out and easily knocked McCoy away from her. Caught off-guard by her strength, McCoy's head collided with one of the rocks. He fell to the ground, stunned and barely conscious.

Returning her hand to Green's face, Nancy's expression became one of ecstasy as Green shuddered and died. Wetting her lips, she glanced toward the sky. Somewhere up above them were more of these humans than she'd ever dreamed of. All she had to do was figure a way up there. Smiling, she pulled out the communicator she had taken from Darnell's body as her appearance shifted to that of Green.

"Green to Transporter room. One to beam up."

At the controls to the transporter, Kyle immediately contacted the Bridge.

"Mister Scott, Crewman Green is requesting to beam aboard."

Scott almost told Kyle to go ahead and quit bothering him, but he stopped himself and had Chekov do a quick frequency check. The results had him getting back with Kyle immediately.

"Do not beam him aboard. Tell him that we're in the middle of a diagnostic and will beam him up in about fifteen minutes or so when they're finished."

"Aye, Mister Scott."

That done, Scott contacted the Captain.

* * *

Kirk was disgusted and shoved Crater away. Still addled by the stun blast, the man wasn't making any sense as he spoke seemingly without rhyme or reason about his wife and buffalo and preservation. From where he had be listening, Spock remained quiet though he noted to himself, as Kirk had before, that Crater always referred to his wife in the past tense.

Before either man could do or say more, Kirk's communicator chirped.

"Scott here, Captain. We just received a request to be beamed aboard from Green. Mister Kyle dinnae feel right about it and contacted me. Chekov checked the transmissions log and the call came from the communicator assigned to Darnell - same as the request to beam down salt came from."

It was at this point that Spock noted that McCoy was missing and he quickly entered the information needed to track the doctor's location by his communicator while continuing to listen to the conversation between Scott and Kirk.

"You didn't beam him aboard, did you?"

"No, sir. I told Mister Kyle to tell Green that we were in the middle of a diagnostic and would beam him aboard once we were done."

"Good. Give me the coordinates."

Spock was looking at his screen as Scott read off the location of Darnell's communicator.

"Captain, those coordinates are within less than a meter of Doctor McCoy's current location."

Scowl fully in place, Kirk indicated Crater.

"Bring him, Spock. I don't know exactly how he's involved in all of this, but I plan to find out."

* * *

The fake Green frowned at the delay and finally turned to take a good look at who she had knocked away earlier. Seeing McCoy, she bit one knuckle while thinking, then moved to Green's body, intending to drag it out of sight. That was interrupted by the sound of Kirk and Spock approaching with Crater.

Frustrated, Green's features shifted back to Nancy's as McCoy began to get unsteadily back to his feet. When McCoy looked up, their eyes met and he suddenly found himself unable to move and he knew now why there hadn't been any signs of struggle with Darnell. A shudder ran through him as whatever it was spoke in Nancy's voice.

"It's a shame. I liked your thoughts better than Bob's. So much stronger. So much deeper. But they wouldn't take Green back to the ship. I bet they'll take you though."

That was the scene that Kirk and Spock came upon. To Spock, McCoy seemed strangely still with his eyes fixated on a woman he assumed to be Mrs. Crater. Kirk's focus was on Nancy as she was walking toward McCoy with her hands extended. Thinking she was going to cling to the doctor as she had when Darnell had been found, Kirk's irritation mixed with his jealousy as he growled and shot her.

Her reaction to the shot was not what Kirk had expected. Instead of dropping as Professor Crater had, she looked at him - and before his eyes, changed to McCoy.

"Jim . . . don't."

A rapid adjustment moving his phaser to the strongest setting and firing a second time was Kirk's only response. McCoy dropped to his knees like a puppet whose strings had been cut as Kirk stared at the now still body before them. Spock released his hold on Crater's arm, cautiously moved forward and took a reading to verify that it was dead.

The readings confirmed it was no longer alive. so Spock moved to examine it closer. Leathery greenish-grey skin covered with greyish-white fur. Discs not unlike the suction cups found on octopus tentacles lined the underside of long fingers and the sizes of those discs corresponded to the marks that had been found on their dead crewmen. Little doubt this was the creature that had killed their crewmen.

As Spock looked up from the creature to where McCoy was still kneeling, the sight of blood coming from the doctor's hairline down onto his forehead was his first indication that McCoy hadn't been simply stunned by the appearance of the creature.

"Captain, it appears the doctor was attacked as well."

That snapped Kirk out of staring at the beast and he joined Spock at McCoy's side. Picking up McCoy's tricorder, Spock used it to verify his suspicions that McCoy was suffering from a concussion. The cut and lump from where his head had connected with the rock would require tending, but weren't life threatening.

McCoy's voice was barely over a whisper.

"You saw through them."

Not about to correct McCoy's assumption at the moment, Kirk settled down next to him and looked over McCoy's wound himself.

"What happened, Bones?"

"I heard something - or I thought I did. I thought she was in trouble, but when I got her, she . . . her hands were on Green's face and he was in pain. I reached out to touch her shoulder and she swatted me away. So strong - stronger than Spock maybe. When I looked again, she changed. Became Green and contacted the ship."

Kirk noticed that McCoy couldn't bring himself to say Nancy. It was also easy to tell McCoy was still having problems processing everything with his throbbing head, but Kirk pressed a bit more.

"Why didn't you say anything when we came?"

"Couldn't. Don't know exactly what she . .. it did, but I couldn't move. I watched it coming toward me and I couldn't do a thing."

Kirk looked up to Spock, then over to where Professor Crater was. Spock nodded and silently left to watch their prisoner. Once alone, Kirk pulled McCoy closer to him.

"Easy, Bones. You were right. I didn't put the pieces together fast enough, but between you and Darnell, I should have figured it out quicker."

Seeing the puzzled look forming on McCoy's face, Kirk elaborated on what he'd said.

"Looking back, it seems obvious. When I looked at Nancy Crater, I didn't see an attractive woman, but you saw the same woman you'd seen ten years ago. Sure, that could have been written off by you seeing her through rose-colored glasses, but that wouldn't have explained Darnell's reaction. Remember?"

Lifting a hand to his aching head, McCoy thought back.

"He asked if she had worked at the Lagoon Lounge on Risa. I remember when you took me there once. All the workers there wore next to nothing."

Understanding seemed to break on McCoy like a wave.

"It said it liked my thoughts. We all saw a different woman. It didn't change shape, it changed how we saw it."

The coloration shift on McCoy was one Kirk knew all too well and he quickly shifted to support the doctor while his body purged everything in his stomach. Once McCoy was finished, Kirk began speaking.

"And that was exactly what you suggested to me that we were looking for. A creature that could trick the mind and was intelligent. You weren't the one thinking with the wrong head, Bones. That was me."

"It was about to kill me when you showed up, you know. It wanted on the Enterprise. Hell, it was practically drooling over the thought of how many people were up there."

Spock was there again without warning, offering over a blanket. Crater was nowhere to be seen, but Kirk trusted his First had made sure the man wouldn't escape. He made Immediate use of the blanket, wrapping it around McCoy who was shivering in spite of the warmth of the rocks they were next to - a sign of shock. All things considered, Kirk figured if anyone was entitled to a case of shock, it was McCoy.

"Rest for a little while, Bones. The thing is dead. We tend to cleaning this mess up later."


	8. Interrogating Crater

**Stardate 2261.761**

After handing over the blanket, Spock disappeared again, presumably to return to where Crater was. Kirk didn't break the silence to question him. There was no hurry and truthfully, where could Crater go? Even if he did try to run, the sensors aboard the ship could track him . He couldn't escape.

McCoy rested next to Kirk for quite a while until the worst of the trembling passed. Then he pulled out his medkit and prepared a hypospray for himself. After injecting the contents, he took a few deep breaths before finally speaking.

"Where is Crater?"

It didn't take someone who knew McCoy as well as Kirk did to see the fire in his eyes. In fact, Kirk didn't think he'd ever seen McCoy more angry, yet more calm. It didn't bode well for the object of his anger.

"Spock took him back to the building to keep an eye on him. Why?"

The doctor's eyes had taken on the golden reptilian undertone that the crew had learned meant to give him a wide berth.

"Nancy was real. I want to know what happened to her."

"Bones, he's been speaking about her all this time in the past tense. I thought it was some weird quirk of his before, but now?"

McCoy waved him off impatiently.

"I know she's dead. I've got a pretty good idea of how, but I want to hear it from Crater."

Whatever it was that McCoy had injected himself with, Kirk decided it must have been the good stuff. Instead of being unsteady on his feet, McCoy stood and was quickly striding in a determined fashion for the building.

* * *

On the inside of that self-same structure, Spock was silently watching and listening to Crater. The effect from the stun had worn off and the man seemed to be genuinely mourning the death of the creature that had killed three crewmen as well as, most likely, Mrs. Crater as well. That a human man would put more value on a deadly alien creature than on a woman he had taken as his wife was a conundrum. Even with how the situation had been between himself and T'Pring, had he actually completed the marriage bond with her, he would have taken very seriously the obligation to protect her.

His musing on the subject was cut short by the entry of McCoy, who wasted no time as he went straight to Crater. Jerking the Professor out of the chair he'd been resting in, McCoy slammed his back into a wall. Kirk entered as McCoy began speaking.

"Where is she? Where is Nancy?"

"She's dead. You people killed -"

McCoy slamming him against the wall again cut that off.

"Not that damn parasite. The woman you brought to this hellhole. Where is Nancy?"

The last three words were punctuated by McCoy slamming Crater into the wall with every word. Spock stepped forward, intending to intervene before McCoy permanently damaged the Professor, but stopped when Kirk raised a hand and started his own questioning.

"How long has your wife been dead, Crater?"

The only thing keeping Crater standing now was the grip McCoy had on him. Looking dazed, the Professor frowned at Kirk's question.

"A year . . . or maybe two. No more than three, surely. She understood. Nancy knew how important it was. It was the last one of its kind. Nancy helped keep it alive."

Despite having no love for Nancy Crater's memory, that statement disgusted even Kirk.

"I never even met your wife, Crater, but I think I can say without any doubt that she didn't agree to feed herself to that creature so that it could take her place at your side."

"It was starving. It needed salt. The salt here was almost completely depleted by the time we came across it. It wanted to live. You can't fault a creature for wanting to live."

Kirk saw the trembling beginning in McCoy's arms as he shook his head.

"You don't think your wife had as much right to live as that thing did?"

"The last. It was the last."

Thoroughly disgusted, McCoy gave him a final shove before releasing him and allowing Crater to fall to the floor. McCoy's tone was a cold, flat one.

"Where. Is. She?"

Making a vague gesture with his hands, Crater closed his eyes.

"The hill. The top of the hill. We buried her there."

As soon as those words were out, McCoy hurried outside. Crater didn't even seem to notice as he shook his head sadly.

"You killed it. The very last one gone. Like the dinosaurs. Like the buffalo."

Kirk's voice went as cold as McCoy's had been.

"Your beast killed three of my men, Crater. You'll be answering for that."

Eyes still on Crater, Kirk motioned to Spock, who responded immediately. No one in there right mind kept an irritated James Kirk waiting.

"Yes, Captain?"

"Take Professor Crater to the ship and throw him into the Brig. Then have Scotty beam our dead up. That creature as well."

"Yes, sir. Any other orders?"

Moving to the doorway, Kirk looked toward the hill and saw McCoy was already standing near the top.

"Not at the moment. Tell Scotty to standby. I'll contact him when we're ready to beam up."

"Yes, sir."

Kirk doesn't turn away from watching McCoy - not when Spock contacted the Enterprise - not when he heard the sound of the transporter taking Spock and Crater to the Enterprise. He didn't know what McCoy was doing up there, but, for once, Kirk didn't feel inclined to climb up there and find out for himself. Finding a comfortable spot in the shade, Kirk sat and continued his vigil.

His doctor would need some careful handling as this entire incident was processed. Nancy was dead, long dead. Kirk couldn't help but be very pleased at that fact. He would be the one to console McCoy. He would be the one to see to it that Crater was punished. He might even be able to make sure McCoy profited from Crater's actions. And when it was all over and this hunk of arid rock was nothing more than a fading memory, McCoy and he would be bound together even tighter than before.

As his mind started to wander over some of the inventive and pleasurable ways that McCoy had expressed his gratitude in the past, a smile formed on Kirk's face. He could hardly wait.


	9. A Few Drinks

**Stardate 2261.083**

Sitting in his favorite chair in his quarters, Kirk poured himself half a glass of a vibrant blue Romulan ale as he watched the sleeping form of his CMO curled on his bed. Once they had beamed up from M-113, McCoy had been determined to get drunk and Kirk had been inclined to allow it. For one thing, McCoy talked about difficult subjects more readily with a few drinks in him.

Sipping the drink, Kirk ran his free hand lightly along the bare skin of McCoy's back as he thought back over the past few hours.

* * *

McCoy had remained by Nancy Crater's grave until darkness fell, then made his way silently back down to Kirk, who studied him intently. Kirk found McCoy seemed mostly to be very tired and uncommunicative. Deciding that questioning could wait until they were back onboard, Kirk pulled out his communicator.

"Kirk to Transporter room."

"Scott here, Captain."

"Two to beam up."

McCoy remained unnaturally silent but unresisting as Kirk directed him to follow before leading him to the Captain's quarters. He sat where directed and automatically accepted the drink Kirk handed him. Kirk was going for strength and quantity over quality. He wasn't about to waste the good stuff on someone that likely wasn't even tasting what he was drinking.

It was after the third refill that Kirk began his questioning, if it could be called questioning. He started with a simple statement.

"You were up on that hill for a pretty long time, Bones."

Since leaving to go up the hill, McCoy hadn't spoken a single word, but now he took a short sip of the drink in his hand and let out a heavy sigh.

"Yeah, I was. At first, I debated uncovering her. Verifying that she was actually there, but hell . . . if she's really been there for three years, there wouldn't have been much left to see. Bad enough to have my last memory of her tainted by that thing. Finally used my tricorder to scan it. There's a skeleton there and it's female. Right age range. Bastard doesn't even have a marker on her grave. I've seen folks bury a dog with more care."

Now that the flow of words had begun, Kirk was careful not to interrupt. He would make appropriate noises of encouragement learned from the time sharing a room with the very private man and refill the glass as needed, but he wouldn't speak unless asked a direct question.

"Odd the thoughts that will run through a man's mind. I was thinking about a lot of what could have beens. What if Crater hadn't shown up. What if Nancy and I ahd gotten married - started a family. Totally useless thinking about that, but I did it any way. Don't even recall the time passing as I thought about it. Jim, you think Crater's better looking than me?"

Despite his desire to stay quiet, Kirk snorted before answering.

"Hardly."

"Smarter?"

"He might know more about archeology than you do, but I highly doubt he's more intelligent."

"Then that only leaves me three reasons she might have picked him over me. One, he's from old money even by Imperial standards, so he's richer and better connected than me. Two, he prefers spending as much time as possible away from Earth unlike me. Three, he's older than me. More I thought about it, more I came to realize that it didn't matter which one of those three reasons or combination of them was what made her marry him. If it hadn't been him, it would have been the next guy that met her standard, but that guy was never going to be me. I still think she loved me, but looking back, I don't think she ever would have married for love. Explains why she deflected my proposal. She didn't really think we should wait until after our schooling. She was waiting for something better to come along."

The glass was emptied and McCoy didn't seem to notice it being filled again.

"If we'd gotten married, it might have lasted longer than me and the Witch did, but it would have ended just the same and been worse in one way. I was in lust with the Witch, but never in love and hell, you were witness to how bad that went. Some folks aren't meant for the marriage bit. Guess I'm one of them."

The glass was emptied again. When he thought it over, Kirk couldn't think of many better reasons to get drunk, so he refilled the glass again. McCoy wasn't going to be leaving tonight and orders had already been given to remove him from rotation until further notice.

As McCoy had lapsed back into silence, Kirks guts said it was time for him to do the talking,

"You're looking at everything from the wrong angle, Bones. If you hadn't been forced to marry your certifiably insane ex, she wouldn't have been looking for a way to shaft you and you wouldn't have Joanna now. Jo-Jo's worth having gone through a little hell for, isn't she? Besides, you were already on Puri's radar. He would have eventually come to claim you no matter who you'd married. Not to mention, the way things worked out, you got the jackpot. You're the youngest CMO on the best and most profitable ship the Empire has, under command of the most awesome Captain that Imperial Starfleet has ever commissioned."

A faint smile finally appeared on McCoy's face.

"Not to mention the most modest."

Kirk practically beamed at that comeback and decided that it was time for a distraction other than alcohol. Moving behind McCoy, Kirk ran his hands down the doctor's torso and began to tug the blue uniform top up.

"I'm awesome in the modesty department as well. It's not bragging when it's the truth, Bones."

Shifting slightly forward to accommodate the removal of his shirt, McCoy sat his glass down so that nothing would spill, but it was his next words that really told Kirk that McCoy was ready for some personal attention from him.

"Plum was a pretty damn stupid nickname."


	10. Pike

**Stardate 2261.1**

It had been about a week since Crater was dumped into the Brig. McCoy had wondered why the man hadn't simply been air locked, but didn't question Kirk's actions beyond that statement. None of which surprised Kirk. McCoy was a brilliant doctor, but oh so naïve in the ways in which he could manipulate situations to his benefit. Dealing with Professor Crater was made less complicated when the order to report to Starbase IDSS K-12 came in. Any Imperial Starbase would have the requisite number of officers to gp through the stages of formally charging and sentencing Crater.

When an unexpectedly fast reply came from Pike, Kirk didn't tell McCoy about it. Instead, he turned the care of the doctor over to Gaila and Gem while Kirk turned his mind to attempting to figure out what Pike's plans might be since he was now almost positive that the orders to K-12 had originated with Pike. While he didn't think Pike was suicidal enough to try and take the Enterprise or McCoy from him again, Kirk was taking no chances. If he had his way, Pike wouldn't set foot on the Enterprise and he most certainly wouldn't be left alone with McCoy.

During the travel time, Kirk also had to keep an extra eye on McCoy's bevy of nurses, any of whom would gladly help Crater to a grisly end. He solved the problem of keeping them occupied by telling McCoy that he could unleash them on the salt creatures body on the condition that they skinned the beast first so that it could be preserved as a gift for the Emperor's collection along with the Vian skin they had already put in storage.

Also during the travel time, Spock got on Kirk's already frayed nerves by continually correcting everyone to a ridiculous degree. Kirk finally reached his limit when he was speaking to Chekov.

"How long until we reach the station?"

"Approximately fifteen hours, Captain."

From the Science station, Spock's voice cut in.

"Fourteen point eight nine two hours."

Turning with eyes narrowed, Kirk's tone was snappish, but he didn't bother to turn away from Chekov while he reprimanded Spock.

"Save the ultra-precise readings for your logs, Spock. There's a difference between being detailed and being annoying. Guess which side of the fence you're on right now?"

From her station, Uhura could see the expression on Spock's face and the cant of his eyebrows that said he was about to ask about the fence. With a quick hand movement, she managed to draw the Vulcan attention. Once their eyes met, she shook her head negatively. Uhura could tell that he disliked her suggestion, but he took another look toward the already irritable Captain and conceded the wisdom of allowing his curiosity to remain unsatisfied for the time being.

* * *

Requesting permission to dock when they arrived at the Starbase quickly verified Kirk's suspicions that Pike was aboard the station because he signaled the ship before they had finished docking. He noticed he wasn't the only person on the Bridge that froze at the sound of Pike's voice.

"James, I see you made good time. I'd like a meeting with you and a few of your people tomorrow."

It was phrased as a request, but Kirk knew better than to treat it as one.

"Of course, Admiral. Who are the ones you need to meet with?"

"Mister Spock and Doctor McCoy. Oh, and Lieutenant Chekov. Come over earlier and we'll have breakfast together before moving on to business."

Brain immediately going into overdrive to make a connection, Kirk nevertheless managed to keep his features neutral.

"Very well. Any thing else, sir?"

"No. I prefer to have our discussions face to face. I'll see you tomorrow. Pike out."

As a collective exhale was released by everyone but Chekov, Kirk resisted the urge to chuckle. He understood Chekov's tension at being in Pike's spotlight which boded ill far more often than it boded well for the person in said spotlight. His own amusement was short-lived when he ran over who was requested to beam over. Pike had better not be making another play for McCoy or else all hold would be off this time.

Knowing he needed to break this news to McCoy sooner than later, Kirk rose from his chair.

"Mister Spock, you have the con."

Stopping briefly by Uhura on his way to the lift, Kirk spoke softly.

"I want to be informed of any calls from the station to any one onboard."

"Aye, sir."

It didn't take a intellect as refined as Uhura's to know that Kirk was watching for any signs that Pike still had ears onboard. Most especially Vulcan ears.

* * *

As expected, McCoy had not been happy to be ordered into Pike's presence, but as he sat and watched his blissfully happy CMO next to Joanna, Kirk was pondering if this meant he owed Admiral Pike a favor or not. While a happy McCoy was a pleasant change and a good thing, owing a favor to Pike was still in the realm of a bad thing. Even more so since the new man at Pike's side was an unknown factor. Kirk had heard the name of Doctor Boyce before, of course, but this was the first time he had actually been in the same room with the man.

Pike and Boyce were conferring quietly, so Kirk took the opportunity to study Boyce closer. He and Pike were nearly the same height, but he wasn't sure about age. Boyce's hair was completely silver, but that didn't mean he was necessarily the elder of the two men. Doctor or not, Boyce was in better shape than most older line officers of Kirk's acquaintance - not that a great number of them still remained.

Then, as if sensing the attention from Kirk, Boyce turned and their eyes met. The study he had done to Boyce was now returned. Pike noticed and bit back a laugh. It really would be best for all concerned if the two got along, but neither man could be pushed into that. He decided it was time to speak before tension could ratchet up again.

"Of course, we want to hear details about what's been happening since our last meeting, but I suppose I should explain the presence of Miss Joanna first."

Even as Pike was speaking, Kirk was doing the math in his head. Joanna had been over four years old before Pike had usurped the Enterprise for a year, so that meant she had been five, closing in on six when he had taken the Enterprise back. Then there had been that whole muddle with the augments, including the treaties with the Klingon and Romulan Empires. All of that had taken about eighteen months, so Jo had been seven when they bought her a horse. That was over a year ago, so yes - Joanna was eight. Or as McCoy remarked on seeing her, eight going on eighteen. His thoughts about the passage of time since Joanna had been the toddler he had used to lure women into their dorm room were interrupted by Pike mentioning the Enterprise.

" . . . the Enterprise could see her off on her studies. If the school isn't to her liking, I'll arrange transport back to Earth after the initial six months."

McCoy could tell from the expression on Kirk's face that he hadn't listened to the Admiral as closely as he should have and spoke up to cover his Captain.

"Mighty generous of you to get Jo here into that school on Cerberus. I've heard tell that it's one of the top schools in the Empire."

Chekov spoke up then with an enthusiasm they hadn't seen since his first year at the Academy.

"It is the top school for someone of Joanna's age and social standing. Other schools that might be better - and better is debatable - are limited by social class and age."

McCoy chuckled as Chekov suddenly went quiet as he remembered everyone that was in the room with him.

"I'm guessing you went to Cerberus yourself, Pavel? If so, can't think of a better endorsement."

Chekov seemed very pleased at the praise and, at Joanna's urging, sat by her and began to talk about some of the staff of the school. Pike summoned Kirk over with a small hand gesture and the two of them along with Boyce moved into a neighboring room to talk.

"Tell us more about Professor Crater, James. If what I seem to recall of his family proves correct, I don't see any reason why his family's money shouldn't pay for a full course of study at any school that Joanna prefers. Including Cerberus."

Smiling, Kirk settled into the indicated seat.

"Anything to drink around here? Trust me, this is a long story."


	11. Tribunal

**Stardate 2261.105**

After hearing the details about Professor Crater from Kirk, Pike immediately put together a tribunal. It happened faster than Kirk was expecting, in fact, within two hours, Pike was calling for the Professor to be beamed over to attend the hearing.

McCoy was the first to enter where Pike and the other two officers were waiting. He gave each of them a file containing the autopsy reports and images of the dead Security men. Kirk and Spock entered minutes later followed by two Security men escorting Professor Crater, who was protesting the unnecessary restraints he was forced to wear.

Seeing the three officers seated behind the table, Crater fell silent. Pike thought he was prepared for anything, but Kirk took him by surprise when he spoke.

"I thank you gentlemen for agreeing to gather so quickly. Professor Crater? I believe you had a compliant you wish to register against myself and my crew regarding the treatment of your creature."

As Kirk expected, his wording made Crater angry.

"Creature? You show your own ignorance by talking about her that way. She was an intelligent being. The last of her kind and you murdered her!"

"What about the people she killed? My crewmen - your wife."

"Are you really so stupid that you don't see the difference? There are billions upon billions of humans! What are a few out of so many? She only killed for survival."

"Survival? I don't think so. She wasn't starving. Your salt supply wasn't gone. No, the truth is that salt tablets were to her like protein nibs are to us. She left you alone because you were her access to more salt. Salt tablets were better than nothing, but what she really wanted was salt pulled from our blood."

"No. That's not true."

"Did you know she tried to trick my ship into beaming her up? A mistake on her part is the only thing that stopped her."

Pike finally spoke.

"It killed your wife, Professor?"

"You don't find many women like my Nancy. She understood. If we had known about the salt sooner, she might not have died. And now, because of them, Nancy died for nothing!"

The officer to Pike's left ignored Crater and turned her question to Kirk, tapped the folder from McCoy with one fingernail.

"How many are known to have been killed by this creature?"

"Imperial citizen Nancy Ashton Crater, Imperial Starfleet Crewman Darnell, Imperial Starfleet Crewman Green and Imperial Starfleet Crewman Sturgeon. It was in the process of attacking my Chief Medical Officer Leonard McCoy when my first officer and I came on the scene and killed it, Commander Campani."

Crater's voice rose again.

"You hear that? They admit they killed her!"

Commander Campani's antennae twitched slightly as she turned her questioning to the Professor.

"Are we to understand then that you place the value of that beast over that of a highly trained professional?"

The tone Crater took made it evident that he believed himself speaking to a lesser intellect.

"A doctor? The Empire has millions of doctors."

The Commander's blue tones grew a bit darker, but that was the only outward sign of her anger. Pike, knowing this particular Andorian better than most, took over the questioning.

"Indeed? And exactly what benefits would the Empire have seen from her? Beyond assassinations."

"Don't any of you see? She was that last of her kind!"

Pike leaned forward ever so slightly.

"Were her kind hunted to extinction?"

At that question, Crater immediately fell silent as if he hadn't heard what had been asked. Pike slammed his palm down on the table.

"You will answer the question!"

Crater slowly shook his head.

"No."

"Then, Professor, what in your learned opinion caused the race to die off?"

Looking very uncomfortable in his chair, Crater finally spoke.

"Over-population. They decimated the salt supply and began dying by the thousands."

"Except for the resourceful ones - like the one you protected. How many of her own kind do you think she killed to save some of the salt that remained for her own use?"

His voice weakening, Crater protested again.

"She merely wanted to survive. I told you to leave. We didn't want you there. If you had simply left when I told you to, none of this would have happened."

Pike studied Crater for a minute and continued to look at him as he spoke to Kirk.

"Captain - was the Enterprise at M-113 on a whim of yours?"

"No, Admiral. We were there under orders from Imperial Starfleet Headquarters. There was concern that one or both members of the archeological dig had fallen ill as the expected rate of item recovery had fallen dramatically."

Pike rapped on the table again.

"I think I have heard enough. Commander Campani?"

"I have heard enough to base a decision on, Admiral."

"Lieutenant Commander Ashcroft?"

"I've heard more than enough, Admiral Pike."

The two each made a mark on the PADD in front of them. Pike glanced and nodded.

"Unanimous verdict. Guilty of acts of violence against Imperial Starfleet personnel that were performing under legal orders - a charge which is looked upon as treasonous and thus punishable by death. Sentence will be carried out tomorrow. This tribunal is adjourned. Security - escort the convict back to the station's brig to await execution."

Crater did not go silently, but none of the officers in the room paid any further heed to his ranting beyond a final comment from Commander Campani.

"Utterly mad."

Smiling, Pike offered her his hand to assist her from her chair.

"Very true, Lizzith, but as insanity is not considered a defense, it hardly affects the case."

Looking over to where Kirk had moved to McCoy's side, Pike motioned with his free hand toward the evidence.

"Tell me, gentlemen. The beast is dead, but were there any remains?"

McCoy was the one to answer.

"There were, Admiral. My ladies and I have done a full post-mortem study on it and we were careful to preserve the skin and skeleton for the Emperor's gallery."

"Excellent. Be here tomorrow at 0800 to witness the execution. Until then - dismissed."


	12. Epilogue

Stardate 2261.124

Sitting back in the command chair, Jim felt satisfied as IDSS K-12 faded into the distance after they set course for Cerberus.

The execution of Professor Crater was quite routine, but the fact that McCoy lived through an attack from Crater's creature allowed Admiral Pike to file a claim on the Crater estate on his behalf. As Pike had correctly recalled, the Crater family held a considerable amount of wealth and were willing to pay a respectable amount in order to have the tarnish on their family name disappear. Even more willing that would normally be the case considering that the charge of treason could easily have thrown suspicions on the entire family that their enemies would doubtless have used to the maximum potential. Enough of an amount was offered that, as Pike had speculated, Joanna could attend any academy her family's standing would allow her to apply for. And possibly pay for enough bribes to get her enrolled in a few that would normally be off-limits.

The money was a little problematic. McCoy was not the most practical man when it came to finances, so Kirk took control of the money with Pike's blessing and put it into an account accessible to himself, McCoy and Joanna. McCoy might not care about money where he himself was concerned, but where Joanna was concerned? McCoy wanted her well provided for. As McCoy himself had said, if his sister took a man to bed when she was older, it was damn well not going to be to cover her debts.

A smirk played across Kirk's face that made nearby crewmen nervous. He really and truly pitied any man or woman brazen enough to attempt to get Joanna McCoy to do anything she didn't want to do. The only question in the death sentence the would be imminent under that circumstance would be who would be able to carry it out first. Even Spock had shown his willingness to intercede when Joanna was involved. Which was something that intrigued Kirk, but since it was to his liking, he didn't call his First Officer out on that peculiarity.

McCoy was currently off duty until they reached Cerberus and spending most of his time with his sister. Kirk was generously allowing McCoy to take as much time with her as he wanted. The fact that Rashea, Joanna's Betazoid nanny/bodyguard, was also onboard? That was a major factor in his generosity regarding his consort's time. There weren't many women that Kirk met who could still teach him a few things about pleasure - after all, he had regular access to a willing and eager Orion - but Rashea was one of those few women. Better still, she was as willing and eager as Gaila. Come to think of it, he might invite Gaila to join them later. Two things Kirk didn't believe in - a no-win situation and that there could really be too much of a good thing.

The Bridge crew was minus Chekov as Kirk had relieved him of duty rotation as well to allow him to prepare Joanna for her first time living on a different planet. Kirk's own memories of his first time away from Earth were far from pleasant for a number of reasons. No sense in Joanna having to go through any of that, though Kirk sincerely doubted she would experience anything truly traumatic on Cerberus. Pike would have vetted the establishment before spending even the smallest amount on the school. Not to mention, Rashea was devoted to her young charge.

Kirk was almost tempted to order the helm to increase speed to get them to Cerberus faster, but he could curb his patience and wait. McCoy owed him for so many things - and had given him credit for a few things that Kirk had nothing to do with. Not that he would correct McCoy's assumptions, of course. Plus, now that Joanna would be on another planet, the worries about what little might remain of the Darnell or Treadway clans would be one less thing for McCoy to deal with.

Yes, all things considered, Kirk was looking very forward to when they would leave Cerberus' orbit and he could count on some uninterrupted time with his consort.

* * *

Author's note - this story is immediately followed by the events in **An Unholy Alliance : Distorted Reflections**


End file.
